The Department of Radiation Oncology

provides multiple academic training options for students, physicians, and researchers. Our residency program provides the foundational training to physicians entering the radiation oncology specialty. Med students from the UTMB School of Medicine rotate through the department in order to learn about the specialty and participate in research projects. Our medical physicists have conducted international training on advanced radiotherapy treatment techniques, including IMRT treatment planning. Radiation therapists receive hands-on training and instruction from our certified therapists in conjunction with Galveston College's approved therapist program.

Residency Program

The residency training program at UTMB offers many unique training opportunities to prepare its graduates for a career in Radiation Oncology, either in academics or private practice. Residents gain exposure through rotations with various faculty in their areas of expertise. The resident has ample opportunity to exercise increasing independence in clinical decision making as they progress through the program culminating in a senior service that provides significant autonomy with adequate supervision. Technically, residents are exposed to a broad spectrum of modern radiotherapy techniques including Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy.

The program, through a number of unique arrangements, allows contact with patients in a number of clinical settings including our large tertiary referral campus in Galveston in addition to community oriented hospitals within the Houston city limits. More recently, we have developed an arrangement for our residents to spend a sizable block of time rotating at M.D. Anderson to gain additional exposure to pediatric patients and techniques such as proton therapy.

Recognizing the balancing act required of a resident, providing high quality patient care while continuing academic endeavors, we provide our residents with protected educational time. Residents take part in didactics by both the physics and radiobiology staff associated with the program. Residents and clinical faculty prepare didactics for the group and participate in new patient conferences, journal club and morbidity and mortality conferences at regular intervals. We believe this protected time is necessary for the residents to master the complexity of the field.

Outside the clinic, residents find the area to be quite enjoyable. The cost of living in the Galveston Area is relatively affordable. The climate is mild through most of the year, while the summers are typical for southern Gulf States. The sandy beaches are not far from the campus and cruise ships depart regularly from Galveston Island. Galveston offers numerous opportunities for those who love the outdoors and watersports. Houston is only 45 minutes from downtown Galveston offering an array of local and international events expected of the fourth largest city in the U.S.

Our Residents

Lauren Layer, MD - Chief Resident

Resident PGY-3
Department of Radiation Oncology

Dr. Lauren Layer is a resident in radiation oncology. She completed undergraduate training at The University of Texas in Austin, Texas obtaining a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. She went on to the University of Texas Medical Branch where she completed medical school followed by a 1 year internship at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. She also completed 1 year of residency training in Radiology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York before joining the UTMB radiation oncology training program in 2011.

Waqar Haque, MD - Chief Resident

Resident PGY-3
Department of Radiation Oncology

Dr. Waqar Haque is a resident in radiation oncology. He completed undergraduate training at the University of Houston in Houston, Texas obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. He went on to the Baylor College of Medicine where he completed medical school followed by a 1 year internship in the Cleveland Clinic. He joined the UTMB radiation oncology training program in 2011.

Twisha Chakravarty, MD

Resident PGY-2
Department of Radiation Oncology

Dr. Twisha Chakravarty is a resident in radiation oncology. She graduated from The University of Texas in Austin, Texas undergraduate program obtaining a Bachelors degree in the Business Honors Program. She went on to the University of Texas Medical Branch where she completed medical school followed by a 1 year internship in Internal Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas. She joined the UTMB radiation oncology training program in 2012.

Anne Tanne, MD

Resident PGY-2
Department of Radiation Oncology

Mani Akhtari, MD

Resident PGY-2
Department of Radiation Oncology

Medical Students

If you are a prospective student, please click here for the School of Medicine. Our department teaches UTMB medical students about modern cancer treatment methods in radiation oncology. Students outside of UTMB who are seeking advisors may contact Dr. Colman or Dr. Hatch by filling out our online contact form in order to inquire about department rotations and clinical electives.
Our former students have participated in a number of research topics and have published their research as well as presented posters at scientific meetings.

Our programs offer outstanding mentors, a unique patient population and clinical research opportunities.

Students tell us they love our problem based learning, our half- day schedule, the accessibility of our faculty, the opportunities to study abroad, and for community service, the incredible support of the second, third and fourth year medical students, and the opportunity to see patients in their first year of study. And they say life on an island is not too bad either!